Interval measuring system



July 10, 1951 J. MoFENsoN INTERVAL MEASURING sYs'rEM Filed latch 31, 1950 Mfr/Tal? JACA' off/V50 i www www.

wnNbl Patented July 10, 1951 INTERVAL MEASURING SYSTEM Jack Mofenson, Medford, Mass., assignor to Raytheon Manufacturing Company, Newton, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Application March 31, 1950, Serial No. 153,096

This invention relates to Vernier time interval measurements.

One way of measuring time intervals is to use a xed frequency oscillator as a master. timer and count xed frequency signals initiated by the master timer and occurring during the time interval to be measured. The accuracy of measurement of a time interval measured in this manner is, in general, determined by the rate or fixed frequency signals being counted. For example, assuming the interval to be measured is 20 microseconds in length, and starts at a point coincident with a'xed frequency signal which is occurring at a rate of 800 kilocycles, only sixteen signals will occur in this 20 microsecond interval. Counters counting these signals will register a count of sixteen in a 20 microsecond interval. But in an interval of slightly under 20 microseconds, only fifteen signals would be registered. Thus, this shorter time interval measurement would have approximately a '7% error. On the other hand, by increasing the counting signal rate, for example, to 6.4 megacycles, there would be 128 signals occurring in the 20 microsecond interval. At this higher frequency the accuracy of measurement of such an interval Would be in error by less than .8%.

However, the increase in counting signal rate as above presents other diiculties. One dimculty is that conventional counters, as multivibrator counters, cannot be used for counting such a high signal rate since conventional counting circuits have generally a practical counting rate limitation between 4 and 6 megacycles. Also equipment such as is used in connection with the lower rate signals is highly developed and readily available commercially.

Pursuant to the present invention, a Vernier arrangement is used to achieve the approved accuracy of interval measurement without increasing the counting signal rate. In the above instance, for example, the equivalent accuracy of the 128 counting signals in the 20 microsecond interval may be obtained with the use of an 800 kilocycle counting signal rate rather than the much higher 6.4 megacycle rate. Conventional counting circuits may thereby be used in the above instance and in many other applications where frequencies for obtaining the accuracy desired in interval measurement would otherwise z be too high.

In this vernier arrangement, a second xed frequency oscillator is used to produce Vernier signals at a rate di'erent from the above-mentioned counting signals. The rate of Vernier signals is 9 Claims. (Cl. 332-11) preferably such that the number of signals occurring in a convenient time interval is one less or one more than the number vof counting signals occurring in the same interval. At the point of termination of the time interval to be measured, the Vernier signals are led to a second set of counting circuits. The second set of counting circuits counts the Vernier signals occurring in the interval between the termination point of the original interval to be measured and the point at which a vernier signal coincides with a counting signal. The length ofthis second interval is determined by the time interval between the last counting signal registered in the counters and the point of termination of the time interval to be measured. For example, if an 800 kilocycle counting frequency is used and a 914 kilocycle Vernier frequency is used, the Vernier frequency 'will eiect an accuracy equivalent to dividing the interval between each signal of the counting.- signals into eight equal time segments. Thus if.

a time interval to be measured includes the intervals between fteen counting signals and 5/ 8 of the interval to a sixteenth counting signal, it will be found that the first set of counters will.

register a count of fifteen and the second set of In the 20v counters will register a count of five. microsecond interval discussed above, in which sixteen counting signals occur and the equivalent of eight signals between each pair of counting signals is achieved, an accuracy commensurate with a counting frequency of 16 x 8 or 128 counting signals is obtained.

'I'he present embodiment incorporates the above in a novel arrangement for periodically converting direct voltage signals to a binary code of seven digit accuracy. A continuously running fixed frequency oscillator is used as the master timer for producing counting pulses for a four digit conventional binary counter. A starting pulse synchronized with a counting pulse of the master oscillator is provided from the master oscillator by a frequency divider. 'Ihe starting pulse operates a gating arrangement which starts a sawtooth voltage generator and at the same time causes the start of counting of the counting signals by the four digit binary counters. The rising sawtooth voltage is compared to the direct voltage signal in a comparator circuit which, when the proper point of comparison is reached, triggers the gating arrangement so as to stop the count in the four digit binary counters. It also triggers a second gating arrangement which starts a second or vernier oscillator having a different frequency from the master timer. Pulses initiated by the Vernier oscillator are counted in a second set of conventional binary counters. The second gating arrangement` at the same instant causes both the master and Vernier pulses to appear at a dual control grid tube. When a master pulse coincides with a Vernier pulse, the dual control grid tube triggers the gating arrangement so as to stop further counting in the second set of counters. A count on both sets of counters becomes thereby a directly usable binary code number determined by the length of the interval to be measured. An arrangement is also provided for clearing the counting circuits in preparation for a new cycle.

The foregoing and other advantages, objects and features of the invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a schematic View of a preferred embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a graph showing a typical master pulse, Venier pulse and gating picture illustrating the operation of the embodiment in Fig. l.

Referring to Fig. 1 in more detail, a master timer I0, such as a crystal oscillator, is, in this instance for purposes of illustration, made to oscillate at 800 kilocycles. The oscillator I0,

' together with pulse former I2, produces counting pulses, such as pulse |4, in line I6, at the rate of 800 kilocycles. 'I'he counting pulses |4 are made to appear through line |8 and capacitance 20 at a grid.22 of a dual control gating tube 24 in a gating circuit 26. The dual control gating tube 24 is normally maintained in a nonconductive condition by a negative bias on grid 28, as by connecting it through a suitable resistance 30 and negative terminal of a potential source 32. Thus, normally, the pulses I4 appearing at grid 22 will not be evident in line 34 leading from the anode of tube 24.

The oscillator I0, together with frequency divider 36 and pulse former 38, produces starting pulses 48 in line 42 at a rate to be hereinafter described and which is much smaller than the rate of the master counting pulses I4. The starting pulse 40 from line 42 appears through a condenser 46 at grid 48 of a triode 50 in a gate multivibrator 52. In the gate multivibrator circuit 52, triode 54 is normally in the conductive condition. The pulse 40 appearing at grid 48 causes the tube 50 to conduct and thereby extinguishes tube 54. Thiscauses the potential at anode 56 of tube 54 to rise. The rise in potential at anode 56 appears through line 51 and condenser 58 at grid 28 as the rise 50 in Fig. 2. 'Ihe rise in potential 59 is such that when pulse I4 appears at the other grid 22, the tube 24 will conduct, thereby causing a drop in potential at the anode of tube 24 which will appear as the negative pulse 60 in line 34. The pulse 60 in line 34 appears at a conventional counting circuit arrangement 6|. One such suitable counting arrangement consists of bistable multivibrator circuits 62, 64, 66 and 68, connected together in conventional manner to count and register in binary code the pulses 68 and thereby pulses I4 in output lines 10, 12, 14 and 16. For example, by proper connection of the output lines 10, 12, 14 and 16 to the multivibrators 62, 64, 66 and 68, respectively,rthey may each be at the same reference potential when the count is zero. When the count is not zero, some lines will be at a. different potential depending on the number in the counters. By representing those output lines which are at the reference potential by 0 and those output lines which are at the different potentials by a l, sample counts in the multi-w vibrator counters will appear in the output circuits as follows:

Output line Num- 10 l 72 74 7c ber c 0 0 o o o o 0 1 1 o o 1 o 2 0 1 0 1 5 1 c o o s 1 1 y1 1 15 At the instant that pulse 40 caused tube 50 in the gate multivibrator 52 to conduct, the potential at anode 11 dropped. This drop in potential appears through line 19 at the sawtooth generator 18 and causes the 'generator to start generating a progressively increasing voltage 80 in line 82 leading from the sawtooth generator to a comparator circuit 84. At the comparator circuit 84 the rising sawtooth voltage is compared to a direct Voltage signal 86 whose voltage is to be measured at suitable intervals and expressed as binary code numbers. One comparator circuit suitable for this purpose consists of a diode 88 whose anode 90 is connected to line 82 so as to receive the rising potential 80. The direct voltage signal 86 is made to appear through line 92 and suitable resistance 93 at cathode 94 of the diode 88. When the rising sawtooth voltage 80 becomes slightly greater than the voltage in the signal 86 and cathode 94, the diode 88 starts to conduct. This causes a rise in potential in cathode line 96, which, because of a blocking oscillatorand amplifying circuit 98, will appear in line |00 as a triggering pulse |02. The triggering pulse |02 will appear through line |04 and condenser |06 at the grid |08 of tube 54 so as to cause tube 54 to conduct and extinguish tube 50. The potential at the anode 56 of tube 54 will thereby drop and cause a corresponding drop at the grid 28, shown at ||0, Fig. 2. Thus pulses |4 will no longer cause conduction in tube 24 and the counters 6| will cease counting.

At the instant the pulse |02 caused the stopping of counting in the counters 6|, it also appeared through line |00 at grid I|2 of triode ||4 in a Vernier gate multivibrator ||6 which may be similar to the gate multivibrator 52. In the gate multivibrator H6, triode I I8 is normally conductive. When the pulse |02 appeared at grid ||2, the triode ||4 was caused to conduct, thereby extinguishing triode ||8 and causing a rise in potential at anode |20 of triode ||8. The rise in potential at anode |20 appears through line |22 and condenser |24 at grid |26 of a dual control grid tube |28 in a Vernier gate circuit |30. The rise in potential at grid |26 and shown at |32 in Fig. 2 is such that the tube |28 is in proper condition for conducting current when pulses |64 appear through line |36 and condenser |38 at grid |40 of the tube I 28. When triode 4`|4 started to conduct, the potential at anode |42 dropped, thereby causing a similar drop in potential in line |44. The drop in potential in line |44 causes the oscillator |48 to oscillate at a frequency of 914 kilocycles. The pulses |34 appearing at grid |40 will cause negative pulses |52 to appear in line |54 in a manner similar to the negative pulses 60 appearing in line 34. The pulses |52 appearing in line |54 are counted in a second set of counting circuits |56, such as bistable multivibrators |58, |60 and |62, which may be similar to the counting circuits 6I and similarly connected. Output lines |64, |66 and |68 of the multivibrators |58, |60 and |62, respectively, may have number designating potentials, as explained, with regard to output lines of counting circuits 6|. Thus the count on counting circuits |56 will appear as follows:

The negative pulses |52 also appear through line |10 at the amplifier |12 where they are inverted and appear as positive pulses |14 at grid |16 of a dual control grid tube |18 in a coincident circuit |80. Positive pulses I4 from the oscillator I0 are also made to appear at the coincident circuit |80 by means of line I6 connected through capacitor |82 to grid |84 of the dual control grid tube |18. Dual control grid tube |18 is normally nonconductive. It becomes conductive only when pulses |14 and I4 occur simultaneously at grids |84 and |16, respectively. The simultaneous appearance of positive pulses |14 and I4 at grids |16 and |84 will cause flow through the tube |18, thereby causing a drop in potential at its anode which will appear as a negative terminating pulse 186 in line |88. The terminating pulse |86 appears through line |90 at an amplifier |92 where it is inverted to a positive pulse |94. Positive pulse |94 appears through line |96 at grid |98 and causes triode ||8 to conduct, thereby extinguishing triode |I4. conduct, the potential at its anode |20 drops, thereby causing a drop in potential in line |22 which causes a corresponding drop at grid |26 of the dual control grid tube |28. This drop in potential at grid |26 is shown at 200, Fig. 2, and prevents further pulses |52 from appearing in lines |54 and |10. The counters |56 Will thereby register a count proportional to the time interval between the last of pulses |4 appearing at counters 6|, and shown as |4' in Fig. 2, and the counting termination point shown at IIO, Fig. 2. Thus in the instance shown in Fig. 2, it will be noted that five pulses |34 appear framed in the gate between |32 and 200. Since the ratio between they Vernier pulse rate and the master pulse rate is chosen 8/7 in this instance, the termination point I I0 is found directly by the count on counters |56 to have occurred five-eights of the distance between the pulse I4' and I4", Fig. 2. Thus the interval measured in the present instance shown in Fig. 2 occurring between 59 and I|0 may be read directly as a binary coded number from both counters 6| and |56, and will appear as when mode Hs begins no Cal output line 70 code representation l 0 and represents the number 45.

The negative termination pulse |86 will also appear through line 262 to trigger the delay multivibrator 204. The multivibrator 204 may be a monostable multivibrator set with a time delay sufficiently long to permit recording or other use of the count registered on counters 6I and |56` before causing clearing circuit 206 to pulse all of the multivibrators in counting circuits 6I and |56 so as to reset them to zero in preparation for a new cycle similar to that explained above.

In the present embodiment, where an 800 kilocycle oscillator I0 is used as the master timer and a 914 kilocycle oscillator is used as the vernier timer, the maximum interval which may be measured by the counter 6I is 20 microseconds in length with an additional 1.25 microseconds for the maximum possible Venier measurement. Therefore, the frequency of the divider 36 for starting new cycles should be sufficiently small to permit ample time for both measuring the longest possible time interval which may occur and also the time interval required by the delay multivibrator 264 for utilization of the measurement registered in the counting circuits 6| and |56. One frequency found suitable for the frequency divider 36 is 1333 cycles per second, but other frequencies may be used equally well.

In the present embodiment where a 20 microsecond maximum time interval is used, the sawtooth voltage generator 'I8 is made to produce a rising voltage suiciently rapid to cover the maximum possible voltage of the direct voltage signal 86 in 20 microseconds.

This invention is not limited to the particular details of construction, materials and processes described, as many equivalents will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. It is accordingly desired that the appended claims be given a broad interpretation commensurate with the scope of the invention within the art.

What is claimed is:

l. A system comprising a first means for generating signal pulses at one rate, a second means for generating signal pulses at a rate different from the rate of said rst means, means responsive to coincident signal pulses for producing an output signal, means responsive to an input signal for causing pulses of said first and second means to appear at said responsive means thereby causing an output signal at an interval from said input signal determined by the position of said input signal with respect to the pulse of said first means immediately preceding said input signal.

2. A system comprising a first means for generating signal pulses at one rate, a second means for generating signal pulses at a rate different from the rate of said first means, means responsive to two time-separated intelligence pulses for counting the pulses generated by said first means during the interval between said two intelligence pulses, and means for determining the interval between the last of said counted pulses and the later in time pulse of said two intelligence pulses.

3. A system comprising a first means for generating signal pulses at a fixed rate, means responsive to two time-separated intelligence pulses for counting the pulses generated by said first means during the interval between said two intelligence pulses, means for determining the interval between the last of said counted pulses 2,560,124.-Jac7c l/iofenson, Medford, Mass.

signal between two pulses of continuously generated xed frequency pulses comprising means .for generating pulses at a rate different from the rate of said first-mentioned pulses, means reand the later in time pulse of said two intelligence sponsive to coincident pulses for producing an pulses, said last-mentioned means including a output signal, means responsive to said rstsecond means for generating signal pulses at a mentioned signal for causing said first-mentioned rate different from the rate of said rst means, pulses and said second-mentioned pulses to means responsive to coincident signal pulses for appear at said responsive means, means responproducing an output signal, means for causing sive to said first-mentioned signal and said outpulses of said rst and second means to appear put signal for counting the pulses occurring at at said responsive means, and means responsive one of said rates during the interval between to said later in time pulse of said two intelligence said first-mentioned signal and said output sigpulses and said output signal for counting the nal, and delay means responsive to said output pulses of one of said rst and Second generating signal for resetting said counting means to zero. means during said later in time pulse of said 8.A system comprising a :first means for gentWO intelligence DulSeS and Said Output Signal erating signal pulses at a xed rate, a second pulse. means for generating signal pulses at a rate dif- 4. A system for determining the position of a ferent from the rate of said rst means, means signal between two pulses of continuously genfor producing a continuously rising potential, a erated fixed frequency DulSeS COmprsing means i'lrst means for counting the pulses from one of for generating pulses at a rate different from the said pulse generators, means for starting said rate of the first-mentioned pulses, means responcounting means and said rising potential means Sive t0 COIlCident DulSeS fOr producing an outin a known time relation, a second means for put signal, means responsive to said rst-mencounting the pulses from one of said pulse gentioned signal for causing said first-mentioned erators, means responsivel to coincident signal pulses and said second-mentioned pulses to appulses for stopping further counting in said secpear at said responsive means, and thereby causond counting means, means responsive to a coming an output signal at an interval from said parison of said rising potential and an outside first-mentioned signal determined by the posivoltage signal for stopping said first counting tion of said first-mentioned signal between said means, starting a count in said second counting two pulses. means, and causing said pulses of said first and 5. A SySteInfOr determining the pOSitiOn 0f a second generating means to appear at said coin- Signel between tWO DulSeS 0f eentinuOuSly gencident responsive means thereby stopping said erated lXed frequency DulSeS Comprising means second counting means when a pulse from said for generating pulses at a rate greater than first generating means coincides with a pulse the rate of said inst-mentioned pulses, means from said second generating means. responsive to coincident pulses for producing an 9. A system comprising a rst means for gen- OutDut Signal, means responsive to said rsterating signal pulses at one rate, a second means mentioned signal for causing said rst-rnen- 4o for generating signal pulses at a rate different tioned pulses and said second-mentioned pulses from the rate of said first means, said difference t0 appear at Seid reSDOnSVe means, and thereby being such that a diierence of one pulse exists Causing an Output Signal et an interval from in a selected time interval, means responsive to Said frSt-mentiOned Signal Dr0p0rt0n9-l t0 the coincident signal pulses for producing an output interval between Said first-mentioned Signal and Signal, means responsive t0 an input signal for the rSt occurring pulse 0f Said tWO lDulSeS causing pulses of said rst and second means to 6. A system for determining the position of a appear at said responsive means thereby causing Signal between two pulSeS 0f Continuously genan output signal at an interval from said input erated Xed frequeney DulSeS COInpriSi-ng means signal determined by the position of said input for generating DulSeS at a rate different from signal with respect to the pulse of said first the rate of said first-mentioned pulses, means means immediately preceding said input signal. responsive to coincident pulses for producing an output signal, means responsive to said rst- JACK MOFENSON' mentioned signal for causing said rst-mentioned pulses and said second-mentioned pulses REFERENCES CITED to appear at Said responsive means, and means The following references are of record in the responsive to said first-mentioned signal and said file O this patenti output signal-for counting the pulses occurring at one of said rates during the interval between UNITED STATES PATENTS said first-mentioned signal and said output Number Name Date signal. 2,414,107 Kenyon Jan. 14, 1947 7. A system for determining the position of a 2,490,506 Young Dec. 6, 1949 Disclaimer INTERVAL lilEAsUnING Sys-rim.

Patent dated July 10, 1951. Disclaimer filed Nov. 13, 1953, bv the assignee, Raytheon Manufacturing Company. l

Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1, Il, 5, 6, and 9 of said patent.

[Oczal Gazette December 15,1953] 

